To install a pipe under a finished surface such as a driveway, street, parking lot, etc., it is conventional procedure to provide operating and target trenches on opposed sides thereof and to form a hole connecting between the trenches. The pipe installing device of the present invention is suspended from chains in the operating trench and a first rod length is engaged by a clutch yoke operated by the piston of a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly and is pushed through the ground toward the target trench by actuation of the hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly. A plurality of rod lengths are sequentially attached in an axial extending relation as the hole forming operation progresses by the sequential operation of the clutch, and hydraulic controls connected to the hydraulic cylinder.
The pushing operation continues as rod lengths are added until the leading end of the first rod length emerges into the target trench. A cap, screw threaded on the leading end for the hole forming operation, is removed and the pipe to be permanently installed is attached thereto and the operation of the clutch relative to the hydraulic cylinder and piston is reversed to pull the pipe through the formed hole until the leading end of the pipe emerges into the operating trench.
Therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a pipe installing device which includes a T-shaped frame as seen in top plan and means to suspend the frame in a similarly shaped but somewhat enlarged T-shaped trench.
A further object of the invention is to pivotally mount a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly adjacent the rear end of the main longitudinally extending portion of the T-shaped frame with a clutch fork fixed to the forward extended end of the piston rod in a position for engagement with an annular shoulder on a rod length positioned below and in general longitudinal alignment with the piston and cylinder assembly.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of push rod lengths with screw thread means to permit sequential connection of the rods in an axial relation as the hole forming operation progresses, and to provide equally spaced apart annular grooves in the connected rods, defining annular shoulders for engagement by the clutch yoke, the spacing between the grooves being determined by the length of stroke of the piston rod.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide guide means to maintain the connected push rods on a true course as they are driven through and forwardly, outwardly of the device.
Another object of the invention is to provide hydraulic and clutch controls in extended positions above the ground level atop the longitudinal trench portion for easy access for manual operation thereof.